Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-22
More Mechanical

classes concerned in the construction
of buildings, is every day becoming
more serious in its aspects. AT no
previous tine in the history OF the
city has there been 80 much building
going on. All over the county, and
for that matter all over Southern CAL
ifornia, the same is true. The de-
mand for skilled labor has hardly ev-
er been equalled anywhere. Carpen-
ters get from $5 to 81 per day-and car
penters are carpenters. Any one who
can saw a board or drive nail will
do. While good men are paid the
highest wages cheerfully, it Is little
hard to have to give 80 much for the
services of some of the wood-butch-
ers who have to be accepted as
mechanics. Plasterers are in quite as
great demand as the members OF the
other trades; and are paid the same
wages. When we come to bricklayers
the situation is even more grave III the
disproportion between supply and de-
mand. Mechanics of this class are so
urgently needed that they are paid S6
and 81 per day. The complaint is
made not on account of the high wages
demanded. In fact where one even
half qualified to do his work is found,
he is gladly seized upon, and he ge:s
these foregoing rates OF wages
with the greatest cheerfulness.
Were there twice the number of all
classes on the spot this morning, they
would all find employment within
twenty-four hours, and there would
not be word Of dispute as to pay. 1t
is fact that great as is the press of
building now under way in Los An
yeles, it would be doubled at once
were it net for the impossibility of Sc
curing labor. There are many enter
prises, the preliminaries for which are
all ready, but, which are at stand
still, because contractors will not
undertake to carry them through
in the present condition of the
labor market. Yesterday one
of our architects left this city
for San Francisco, carrying with
him plans and specifications of the
kubidoux Hotel to be erected at Riv-
erside, and those of the Hotel Del
Campo, the new hostelry for Ana
helm. He will advertise these build
ings in the Bay City, and let the
contracts to bidders there, with
the understanding that they are to
bring their labor with them. Mr.. |.
w. Hellman desires to do a very
great amount OF building in this
city at once, but finds
his plans frustrated because
OF this labor difficulty. His is one
case out of hundreds. The great
trouble is that this will continue for
an indefinite length OF time. Besides
the public works, such as the Court
House. the City Hall, the schools
which must be built,-there are the
two big hotels, the street railroads
and dozen other great projects now
in contemplation. A score of solid
brick blocks are planned for the
immediate future. There is the
four-story block to be built on,
Fort street by Mr.. J. NJ. Griffith,
with an area OF l20xl27 feet;
opposite it is similar building,
where now, the cellar-room is being
excavated. Mr.. Hellman will put up
a three-story block on the entire cor
ner of Second and Fort streets, 120x
l65 feet. And SO the story goes. In
IL hundred towns in the country there
is the same condition of affairs.
There is not house to rent in Los
Angeles, and there is a demand for
five hundred to-day. They would be
built at the rate of five per day if there
we're mechanics to do the work.